Convertible protective eyewear

Abstract

Protective eyewear having a wrap-around type lens and a frame which surrounds the upper and side edges of the lens. The frame includes a slot to receive the lens, and the slot has spaced pawls within the slot. The lens includes mating detents within the face of the lens to receive the pawls and thus retain the lens to the frame. The lateral edges of the frame include upper and lower struts and a bracing bar extends vertically between the struts to define an airflow opening. Rearward of the bracing bar a paint hinge posts extend from the struts in coaxial spaced opposed relation. The temple for the eyewear includes a hinge end having a pivot hole for receiving the hinge posts. The pivot hole includes a cutout with a height corresponding to that of one of the hinge posts, and a width slightly less than that of this hinge post. The temple may thus be mounted and removed from the hinge posts by inserting a first hinge post into the hinge hole, and then snapping the cutout over the remaining hinge post. Where a goggle configuration is preferred, looped ends of an elastic band may be placed over the hinge posts. To increase airflow and/or increase eye protection, a deflector may be removably connected over the airflow opening to guide air behind the lens. The deflectors may be employed with either the temples or the elastic band.